What an utter and total delight to have a band from the heyday of the 'Krautrock era, whether this was their long overdue UK debut I am not sure, but a first for me and more than worth the 100 mile round trip.
Having already been in possession of their latest live cd recorded in Japan I knew if they reproduced that , myself, my wife and the enthusiastic audience were in for a treat and so it proved. From the opening intro of the airport terminal of 'You play for us today' , the sound was absolutely spot on and what followed a display of consummate musicianship that brought to the stage most of the tracks from their excellent first two vinyl albums (approx 40 years old!) The combination of electronics, twin guitars taking turns on the lead building on the base lines and imaginative percussion used to conjure up the images suggested by the titles, 'Sahara city', 'In the silence of the morning sunrise', 'First Communication' etc, the latter perhaps my favourite with its slow build, but overall relaxing mellow mood.
Perhaps I should say for the uninitiated that this is instrumental music and whether the musicians did not speak any English, there was no inane between song patter either with the music just moving seamlessly, electric for the most, but I must give due mention to the acoustic guitar/ukele song 'Das Kleine Uhrwerk' (the small movement.), with its lilting vibe.
All too soon the final track with these boys also demonstrating that they can rock, with the short guitar riffed drenched 'Rucksturtz', but what a riff, totally insistent and I have heard a few in time.
How do you follow that any after a bowing to the ecstatic audience, the musicians had a side-stage head together and decided on one that for me probably enables me to pigeon-hole their influences to convey to the reader who does not know this music, early instrumental Pink Floyd, although 'Interstellar Overdrive' whilst of that era is perhaps a bit too spacey and this band are more diverse than that.
Jazz Cafe @
- London @
- Sat 10 Nov 2012 @
Favourite moment: All of it. @
Setlist: You play for us today, Sahara City, In the silence of the morning sunrise, Shibuya nights, First communication, Dialogue and random, Ala tul, Laila, Nomads, A quiet walk, Das kleine Uhrwerk, Malesch, Drifting, Rucksturz, Interstellar Overdrive. @
Opening act(s): Matt Stevens, not particularly my cup of tea, but very skilful and gets a lot of sound for a one man show out of his acoustic guitar. @